GlaxoSmithKline have scored another Victory...

Today the US FDA voted to allow GSK's money-making diabetic drug Avandia to remain on the market. However, not everyone on the FDA review panel agreed.

In fact, out of the 33 panel members, 12 of them wanted to withdraw it, and 10 wanted it to remain on the market with serious revisions to the label. Other than one other member abstaining, the rest were happy to continue 'business as is'.

Hmm...I bet there was a bit of lobbying going on before the vote was made! Is this drug really necessary? Obviously there are widely different opinions about this. One thing that I can safely say is that it should only be a drug of last resort, when the basics (which usually work) have failed...such as diet and exercise.

Unfortunately, Avandia - like so many drugs - is prescribed as the first line of action by many doctors rather than them spending the time to help educate their patients about lifestyle changes to eliminate the cause of the disease and avoid the drug dependency.

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